Desensitization and Phobias: A Cross-over Study

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Abstract
1. Of 16 phobic patients who had group therapy in a previous investigation, 7 had not improved 6 months after treatment ended. 2. These 7 patients were desensitized. On average, phobias improved about three times as much in the 4 months' desensitization as they had done in the previous two years. Changes in other symptoms were less striking. 3. Another case received both group therapy and desensitization. Detailed assessment of the changes after each treatment showed that desensitization effected an immediate improvement on the phobias treated in the session. Although some of this was lost by the next week, this improvement accumulated gradually week by week and was significantly greater than that seen in group therapy. 4. The findings are discussed in relation to the indications for desensitization.

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